Vehicle top-operating mechanism.



D. C. WATT &-F. A. GREARSON.

VEHICLE TOP OPERATING MECHA N|SM. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 11. 1914.

1,154,463. Patented Sept. 21, 1915.

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VEHICLE TOP OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB I1. 1914.

Patented Sept. 2L 1915.

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-i; ram enema nnn'ron CHARLES WATT he) FREDERICK AUGUSTUS GBEARSON, or BARBIE,

VERMONT,

VEHICLE TOP-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 21., 1915.

Application filed February 11, 1914. Serial No. 818,093.

To all whom it may concern single person with comparative ease. and

safety both to the operator and the top.

The invention provides a novel mechanism which may be actuated by suitable power for imparting movement to the vehicle top both when raising or lowering the same, sai tnechanism being of such construction as to be but of the way and not interfere with any of the working parts when adapted to a motor vehicle.

The invention further consists of novel means forextending or retracting the top, such means including a system of leyers havinga parallelogrammatic movement and arrangement and disposed in such a manner as to occupy a minimum amount of space in either extreme position.

The invention also further consists of the novel features, details of construction and combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularly set forth, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a vehicle body and top provided with operating means embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the relation of the parts when the top is partly folded. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking to the right as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view. I

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters. J

The numeral 1 designates the body of a vehicle which may be of any variety and 2 is a folding top. The top 2 is of the type ports which'm'ay be of any nature generally provided in tops constructed for motor vehicles. The front support3is'adapted to be detachably connected with the front portron of the body 1 to admit of the folding and lowering of the top. The support for the rear portion of the top comprises side standards 4 and a how 5, the latter being pivotally connected to the standards 4. As indicated in Fig. 3 the standards at are hollow and receive shafts 5 which are threaded at their upper ends as indicated at 6. The lower end of each standard a is formed with a box portion 7 and a laterally extending 1ournal 8 which is mounted in a boss 9 projecting outwardly from the vehicle body. An arm 10 is secured to the inner end of the hollow journal 8. A shaft 11 is arranged .horizontally and is journaled in the ,part 8 and in the vehicle body and box portion 7 of the standard 4. It will thus be understood that the shaft 11 coincides with the axis about which the standard 4 turns. The shaft 5 is mounted in the standard 4 which is provided at its lower end with a gear element 12 which engages a companion gear element 13 secured to the shaft 11. A gear element 14 fastened to the shaft 11 engages a gear element 15 at the upper end of a vertical shaft 16 of the body 1. As indicated in Fig. 3 the sides of the vehicle body are made hollow and receive-the shafts l6 and arms 10, thereby protecting such parts and concealing them from view. A shaft 17 arranged transversely of the body 1 and beneath the bottom thereof is provided at opposite ends-With gear elements 18 which engage gear elements 19 secured to the lower from the motor of the vehicle and the driving and controlling means for the shaft is designated by the reference character 17.

Rotation of the shaft 17 in one direction moves. the arts in such a manner as to raise or lower t e top Whereas rotation of the of levers hereinbefore referred to.

The top is extended or contracted by .means of four levers 25, 26, 27 and 28 and two links 29 and 30. It is to be understood that the levers and links are provided in duplicate at the sides of the top 2. The lever 26 has a front extension 31 which sup ports the extreme front port on of the top 2. The front ends of he levers 25 and 26 are oppositely curved to admit of the levers coming close together when the top is extended. The rear ends of the levers 25 and 26 are formed with oppositely curved portions 25 and 26. The forward ends of the levers 27 and 28 are formed with oppositely curved portions 27 and 28. The front portion of the lever 27 is connected to'each of the levers 25 and 26 a short distance from the extremities. The lever 28 is pivotally connected at its front portion to the extremities of the levers 25 and 26. The rear end of the lever 28 is pivotally connected to the upperend of the standard 4: as indicated at 32. The rear end of the lever 27 is pivotally connected to an extension of a nut 33 mounted upon the threaded end 6 of the shaft 5. The link 30 pivotally connects the rim portion of the lever 27 to the rear end of the lever 28. The arrangement and connection of the several levers and rings are such as to insure a parallelogrammatic movement thereof when the nuts 33'are moved on the threaded portions of the shafts 5. When the nuts 33 move upward upon the threaded parts 6 of the shaft 5 the top 2 is contracted and when the nuts 33 are moved downward upon the threaded portion 6 upon the shaft' hicle, causing the shaft 16 'to rotate through its gear connections 18 and 19 respec'tively, and-which i'n'turn causes the shaft 5 to rotate. By'the gear 19* on the transverse shaft 17 at all times meshing with the gear 20 on the screw shaft 21, will cause, whenthe top is being lowered, an inward movement of the cross bar 22," exerting a forward swing, sing of the arm '10, by its connection with is moved upwardly on the threaded portion 6 of the shaft5, whereby the .top through the medium of its levers 25, 26, 27 and 28 and the two links 29 and 30 turn.the top 2 in collapsed position as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to raise the top 2 the shaft 17 is rotated in the opposite direction effecting a reverse movement of the enumerated parts, whereupon the support 3 is permanently fastened to the vehicle body, and the top retained in a raised position.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the. art to which the invention appertains, and while we have described the principle of operation of the invention together with the device which we now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention what i is claimed as new, is

1. In a folding vehicle top, the combina- I of the front pair of levers, links connecting the outer ends of both pairs of .levers and means for imparting movement to the levers whereby they receive parallelogrammatic movement and the front levers are caused to fold upon the rear levers.

2. In a folding vehicle top, the combination of pivoted top supports, extensions carried by said supports, a cross bar, links connecting the extremities of the cross bar with the extensions of the top supports and means for imparting a reciprocating movement to the cross bar to effect a raising or a lowering of the top.

3. In a folding top for vehicles, the com bination of a pivoted top support, extens ions carried by said support, a cross bar, links connecting the extaemit'ies of the cross bar with the extensions "of the top support, a longitudinally arranged screw connected with the cross bar to effect a: reci 'rocating movement thereof and means on imparting a rotary movementto such screw to effect at raising or a lowering of the top.

4. In combination a vehicle top adaptedthe link 24:, and at the same time'thenut 3,3; the top to effect an extension or a contrac- 3 tion thereof, standards supporting the top and; pivotally connected with the vehicle body to effect a raising or a lowering of the top, shafts mounted upon said standards and having screw thread connection With the system of levels, means for imparting a pivotal movement to the standards, other means for imparting a rotary movement to the said shafts and operating means for simultaneously actuating both the standards and shafts whereby the top may be extended and raised, or contracted and lowered at one and the same operation.

In combination with a vehicle body having hollow sides, a top therefor, standards constituting supports for the top and pivotally connected to the vehicle body, a shaft mounted in the hollowsides of the vehicle body, a second shaft in-the standa rds, a. connection between said first and second mentioned shafts, a system of levers and links having connection at one end to the front portion of the top and having connection at their opposite end to said second shaft, and means forimparting a simultaneous movement of said shaft-s.

6. In combination with a vehicle body having hollow sides, a top therefor, standards constituting supports for the top and pivotally connected to the vehicle body, a shaft mounted in the hollow sides of the vehicle body, a second shaft mounted in said standards, a stub shaft having gear connections with the first and second mentioned shaft, a system of levers and links having connection at one end to the front portion of the top and having connection at their opposite end to said second shaft for extending or contracting the top, and means for imparting a simultaneous movement to said shafts.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DELTON CHARLES WATT. FREDERICK AUGUSTUS GREARSON. Witnesses:

EARLE R. DAVIS, FRANK A. HUTCHINSON.

Copies of this pat ent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Cemmissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 01, 

